Portable vertebral column support

ABSTRACT

A portable vertebral column support for use in chairs and the like to support the vertebral column of the user. The support comprises an elongated, generally flat, device which is stiff in its longitudinal direction and flexible in its transverse direction. Retaining means hold a plurality of elongated stiffening members in normally parallel relationship to each other, said stiffening members providing the above-mentioned stiffness and the longitudinal direction. Such retaining means, however, are transversely flexible and thereby permit the abovementioned transverse flexibility. Said stiffening members are spaced apart substantially adjacent the transverse midpoint of the device for receiving the protruding portion of the user&#39;&#39;s backbone but are sufficiently close together that same will bear firmly against the back muscles of the user including those which are closely adjacent the backbone. Said retaining means may, if desired, also function as padding arranged between said stiffening members and the user&#39;&#39;s back.

United States Patent [1 1 Light [451 *Dec. 24, 1974 1 PORTABLE VERTEBRAL COLUMN SUPPORT [75] Inventor: Richard U. Light, Delton, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Flat-Back Corporation, Kalamazoo,

Mich.

[ Notice: The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to Jan. 9, 1990,

has been disclaimed.

[22] Filed: Nov. 13, 1972 I 21 Appl. No.: 305,664

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 63,253, Aug. 12,

1970, Pat. No. 3,709,557, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 852,693, Aug. 25, 1969, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 297/230, 297/350 [51] Int. Cl. A47c 7/42 [58] Field of Search 297/230, 231, 350, 351, 297/460, 380, 382; 5/327, 341

[56] 5 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,001,252 5/1935 Johnson 297/350 2,457,978 1/1949 Curran 297/350 2,565,597 8/1951 DeMier 297/230 X 2,582,115 1/1952 Go odeve.... 297/231 3,197,255 7/1965 Caudill 297/231-X 3,600,035 8/1971v Vaondrejs.. 297/230 Light 3,736,027 5/1973 Stafford 297/231 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 459,000 12/1936 Great Britain 297/351 Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Woodhams, Blanchard and Flynn [57] I ABSTRACT A portable vertebral column support for use in chairs and the like to support the vertebral column of the user. The support comprises an elongated, generally flat, device which is stiff in its longitudinal direction and flexible in its transverse direction. Retaining means holda plurality of elongated stiffening membersin normally parallel relationship to each other, said stiffening members providing. the abovementioned stiffness and the longitudinal direction. Such retaining means, however, are transversely flexible and thereby permit the above-mentioned transverse flexibility. Said stiffening members are spaced apart substantially adjacent the transverse midpoint of the device for receiving the protruding portion of the users backbone but are sufficiently close together that same will bear firmly against the back muscles of the user including those which are closely adjacent the backbone. Said retaining means may, if desired, also function as padding arranged between said stiffening members and the users back.

17 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED DEC 4 I974 SHEET 2 0F 2 1 PORTABLE VERTEBRAL COLUMN SUPPORT.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to-a vertebral column support for use in chairs and the like which is portable, lightweight, inconspicuous and does not have to be worn, and which is effective in relieving low backache.

BACKGROUND OFITHE INVENTION People who have chronic or recurring back problems are often confronted with types of seating which increase the discomfort or pain to which theyare subject.

The bench-type seat of the automobile, the convex seat back of the theater, the soft, upholstered easy chair of the home these, and other seats that tend to increase the forward curve (lordosis in medical terms) of the lumbar spine and thus aggravate the symptoms of the low-back sufferer, are the types of seating in question. Physicians prescribe corsets and back braces for the most severe cases, but no effective device that is portable,-lig'htweight, inconspicuous and does not have to be worn, was available until the one which is represented by my copending application-Ser. No. 63 253. In this I provided such a device which is vertically stiff and transversely flexible, which 'protects and splints the lower back when seated, and which, in extensive clinical trials, has proved to be effective in relieving backache in a high percentage of low-back sufferers.

During prolonged sitting the lower back, at rest, gradually assumes the curvature of the material it is resting against, and, if this is a cushion or a curved seatback, the persons natural lordosis is accentuated. My aforesaid-device, interposed, protects against this pressure and substitutes a straight up-and-down surface, to which the lower back graduallyyields and flattens.

Another action of my device is its splinting effect. The movement of the lower back occurs mainly in the lumbar, spine (5 vertebrae), with none in the fused sacral area and only limited motion in the thoracic spine which is itself splinted by the rib cage. Bridging the gap between the pelvis and the rib cage, the device greatly reduces lumbar motion as long as the user is resting against it. This is important during twists and turns. and

in jolting situations, as in cars and airplanes.

Although the device was designed to be used in the .seated position, it has also proved to be effective in 'bed, taking the place of the bed board" which back sufferers often place beneath mattresses. The device is placed on top of the mattress and must be positioned fairly high, with the upper edge at the level of the armpit. The user, lying on his side with the knees flexed, is then splinted against lateral sag in the lumbar area during sleep, and wakes up with much less stiffness than is commonly experienced by back sufferersflts effectiveness in this position underscores the importance of supporting the lumbar area during the hours of rest, whether in a seat or in bed, and adds proof that the device gives theneeded support.

dergone extensive clinical testingand, while some of the tests are still in progress (e.g., a team of obstetri" cians is evaluating its usefulness in relieving the backache of pregnancy), enough testing has been completed to indicate the general extent and area of the devices usefulness. In a cross section of-all types of low backache,'the testing results indicate that more than 90 percent of the users of my device obtained substantial relief of pain. Its effectiveness was minimal in severe structural conditions of the spine, such as forward dislocation, congenital malformation, extrusion of a disc, or the degenerative pathology of old age.

' This clinical testing has also provided me with knowledge as tothe permissable width of the unsupported central portion, and of the amount of padding which may be inserted across the face of the stiffening members,v in order for the deviceto be most comfortably used while still being effective for the relief of pain.

Thus, in. a continuing-effortto improve the device, and particularly to improve same from the standpoint of inexpensive manufacturing thereof, I have undertaken in the present invention to provide means which will maintain and/or improve the desirable operating characteristics of my earlier device, which will be more comfortable for the user, and which can be manufactured in quantity at a moreeconomic unit price.

Accordingly, the objects of the present invention in-. clude:

I. To provide a vertebral column support which is portable, .lightweight, inconspicuous and does not have to be worn, and which is effective in relieving backache in a high percentage of low-back sufferers.

2. To provide a portable vertebral column support, as aforesaid, which needs no adjustment but which,

through its simplicity, fits a majority of people and conditions.

3. To provide a portable vertebral column support, as aforesaid, which is composed of readily available components which are easily assembled, particularly as by being molded, into a lightweight and portable form.

4. To provide a portable vertebral column support, as aforesaid, which is easy to'maintain in a satisfactory condition, and particularly to provide such a support which will maintain and/or improve the operating advantages of the one shown in my application Ser. No. 63 253 butwhich can be manufactured in large quantity with better economy.

I taken on a section similar to FIG. 3.

Other objects and purposes of this invention will be I apparent to persons'acquainted with vertebral column supports upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an occupant of a seat utilizing the portable vertebral column support.

embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the portable vertebral' column support.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 2 and illustrating also the relationship of the support with the lumbar region of the users back.

FIG. 3A is a fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 3 but illustrating the device on a larger scale.

FIG. 4 isa sectional view of a modified embodiment FIG. 4A illustrates a portion of FIG. 4 on a larger scale.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention taken on a section similar to that of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on a section similar to-FIG. 3, of a further modification.

Certain terminology will be used in the following dc.- scriptive material for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. The words up", down, right and left will designate directions in the draw- .ings to which reference is made. The words in and out will refer to directions toward and away from,

respectively, the geometric center of the device and designated parts thereof. Such terminology will include derivatives thereof and words of similar import.

SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION in position and, where desired, to provide a cushion between said stiffening members and the users back. In one embodiment of the invention said stiffening members are four in number and are embedded in a body of molded, flexible, preferably resilient, plastic material. In another embodiment said stiffening members are merely connected by a sheet of flexible, preferably resilient plastic material. An elastomeric plastic is effective inboth cases. In both embodiments the adjacent edges of the stiffening members (or of the centrally positioned stiffening members if there are more than two) are spaced from each other a distance (normally about A to 2% inches) sufficient to span the protruding portion of the user's backbone but are still close enough together that they will bear firmly against the users back muscles. Further, it has been found necessary that the above-mentioned cushion, while desirable toimprove the comfort to the user in using the support device. is of sufficiently limited thickness that it will not create its own resilient pressure against the back muscles of the user and thereby regenerate the very condition it is intended to alleviate. Hence, the quantity of cushioning material between the stiffening members and the user's back should be accordingly limited in view of its own resiliency and/or softness, normally for such amaterial as an elastomeric plastic, about Va inch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates the portable vertebral column support device 10 positioned between the back of an individual M and the curved portion of a seat S. The curved portion of the seat S has a tendency to resiliency return to the normal broken line position N and thus project into the back of the individual, which aggravates any swayback or lordosis of the individualM. However, by placing the support device 10 in the position illustrated, the vertebral column C of the individual M will be protected from the forward projection of the seatback, and

will be supported in a straight and flattened position to alleviate pain and discomfort.

In one desirable form of the support devic e 10, as iI- lustrated in FIGS. 1-3, there is provided a retaining means here comprising a rectangular body 11 of molded resilient materials, such as a moldable resilient plastic (including rubber or other elastomeric plastic) molded around the hereinafter described stiffening members. The molding procedure may be of any type desired or convenient, such as injection molding around the stiffening members. The body 11 is of sufficient width to span the back muscles of the user as illustrated in FIG. 3 and of sufficient length to extend when in place on a seat as shown in FIG. 1 at least to a point generally adjacent, usually immediately below, the shoulder blades of the user. However, it is entirely feasible,'although for normal use unnecessary, to extend bers may project out from the body 11 if desired,.it is normally preferable that, as shown, said stiffening members terminate sufficiently within said body member to provide an attractive appearance. Said stiffening members may be made of any convenient material, such as relatively stiff wood, plastic or metal, and may be of many forms such as rectangular, tubular, corrugated, solid, of laminated, as desired. Said stiffness may be chosen as desired provided only it is sufficient to give the necessary support to the back muscles of the user. Where wood is used, said stiffening members are advantageously made from top-grade plywood A or /3 inch thick. If plastic or metal is used, the stiffness should be similar. The total width of each side panel of stiffening members is about 4'inches, and the stiffening members may be a single piece or two or more pieces. Thus, three pieces each about 1 inch wide and spaced about inch from each other make a comfortable and effective combination. The total width of a typical pad, including the portion of the body extending laterally beyond the outer stiffening members, is therefore about ll inches.

The vertical length of the pad must be sufficient to bear upon the pelvis below and the thoracic area above, and thus to splint the lumbar area. In practice, this is found usually to be l5 to 16 inches in length.

A gap 27 is provided between the two central stiffening members 13 and 14 with a web or sheet of plastic material extending across same and integrally connecting the respective side panels.

The purpose of the unsupported central gap 27 is to gain comfort by avoiding impingement of the stiffeners on the dorsal spinous processes with the discomfort to cially as he moves about in'the seat. A gap of 2 inchesis increased to 5 4. inch, /s inch, and /2 inch the effectiveness of the device in relief of backache is progressively and rapidly diminished.

Padding or other resilient material is applied, at least in meaningful thickness, to only one faceof the device.

The user thus can choose the padded side or the unpadded side, according to his needs.

The material containing and joining the stiffening members must have sufficient flexibility to permit the slats, if multiple, to conform to the curvature of the back and thus improve both comfort and grip. This material should be flexible, or hinged, across the central gap to permit folding of the device for carrying.

Turning now to FIG. 4, there is shown a modification of the support device which provides essentially the advantages set forth' above but is adapted for fabrica: tion by different means requiring less specialized fabricating equipment than the molding equipment needed for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4', vertical stiffening members 21 to 24, of the same stiffness and mutual spacing v as above described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3,'are

held in position by attachment to one or both sides of a sheet of flexible resilient, as elastomeric plastic, material. Such fastening will normally be by an adhesive but may be by other means if desired.

In the embodiment shown, there is also provided a cover member 26 which covers the opposite side of said stiffening members as well as the side edges thereof. Any flexible material, such as a suitable textile or sheet plastic material, may be provided for this purpose. The device will, however, be entirely functional with only the stiffening members 21 to 24 and the padding member 25 being used,. but the addition of the cover member 26 will add to the appearance of the device and keep it'cleaner. V I

While the embodiment of FIG. 4 illustrates the cover sheet 26 extending only partially around the support device, the cover sheet 26 could totally enclose the support device if desired. Similarly, the embodiment of FIG. 3 could have the body 11 totally enclosed within a flexible cover sheet or envelope if so desired.

In the form shown in FIG; 5 the central stiffening members are at least partially replaced by a pair of relatively stiff tubular members indicated at 31 and 32 and a central web 33 is wrapped around at least one thereof for anchoring same. The enveloping material 34 is then molded around said stiffening members and the edge of said central web in the same manner as above described in more detail for the embodiment of FIG. 3. Thus, the central web may if desired by of a different material than that which envelopes the stiffening memme'nt, only a single piece of such material is provided for each side of the support device. Said stiffening member is enveloped in a flexibleresilient, as elastomeric, molded plastic material 42 and inthis case the lateral flexibility of both the plastic material and the corrugated metal will provide for close conformity of the device to the contour of the users back. The central web may here be a continuation of the molded material 42 or if preferred it can be a separate material as illustrated in FIG. 5 suitably embedded intothe molded material for holding same in position. 7

When the support device is folded as above mentioned for carrying, same may then be fastened as convenient in carrying position in any desired manner, such as by straps, snap buttons, zippers or otherwise as set forth more fully in my above-mentioned application.

The pad may be provided with ventilating openings therethrough, if desired, which openings may extend through the central web. I

' While particular embodiments of the invention have been chosen to illustrate theimprovement comprising the present invention, it will be apparent to those acquainted with the art that variations may be made within the scope of the present invention and the claims herein shall be so interpreted excepting as by their own terms they are expressly otherwise limited.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

medical appliance in supporting the vertebral column of a user and designed for use between the users back and an external supporting surface such as a seat back, said support device consisting of a substantially flat and elongated pad having a width approximately no greater than the width of the users back so that the support device directly engages the back muscles of the user, and

said support device being relatively rigid throughout the complete longitudinal length thereof but being provided with lateral flexibility to conform to the users back, and to permit folding, said pad comprising:

elongated relatively rigid stiffening members positioned substantially parallel with respect to each other and spaced apart to define a central portion therebetween of width sufficient, but no greater.

than that necessary, to span the palpable portion of the vertebral column of the user, said central portion having a width which is a small fraction of the overall width of said pad; and

retaining means affixed to said stiffening members for holding same in a predetermined position with respect to each other and extending at least substantially the full length and width of said stiffening members;

said device being positionable so that the longitudinal axis thereof extends parallel to the vertebral column of the user with said central portion substantially spanning at least the palpable portion of the vertebral column of the user and said stiffening members being positioned on opposite sides of the vertebral column and disposed for contact with at least those of the users back muscles which are closely adjacent his vertebral column.

2. The device of claim 1,' wherein said central portion is between A and 2 /2 inches wide.

l. A portable vertebral support'device for use as a 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said central portion is approximately 2 to 2% inches wide.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said stiffening members comprise at least four such members, the central two thereof being spaced from each other a distance defining said central portion.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a thin resilient padding covers the'areas of the stiffening members on one face of the support device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said retaining means comprises a solid envelope of molded resilient material completely and permanently enveloping all of thelstiffening members.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said retaining means is a quantity of elastomeric material molded around said stiffening members.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said retaining means is a sheet of flexible resilient material contacting at least one side of said stiffening members and fixedly attached thereto.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said retaining means is affixed to one side of said stiffening members V column of the user and is rigid throughout said length.

13. A portable vertebral support device for use as a medical appliance in supporting the vertebral column of a user and designed for use between the users back and an external supporting surface, such as a seat back, said support device consisting of a substantially flat and rectangularly shaped pad having a width approximately no greater than the width of the users back so that the pad directly engages the back muscles of theuser, and said pad being relatively rigid throughout the complete longitudinal length thereof but being provided with flexibility in at least one central portion across the width thereof. said pad comprising:

rectangularly shaped, flexible body means,

said body means having a pair of laterally spaced 5 zones extending parallel to one another throughout the full length of said body means, said spaced zones being disposed adjacent the opposite longitudinally extending edges of said body means; said body means having said central portion disposed between said spaced zones and being of a width sufficient to span the protruding portion of the vertebral column of the user, the width of said central portion being between /1 and 2 /2 inches;

elongated rigid slat means disposed in each of said zones and generally fixedly with respect to said body means for rigidifying said body means in the longitudinal direction thereof while permitting thc central portion of said body means to remain flexible and permitting some flexibility between the slat means of said zones, said rigid slat means extending the full length of each of said zones;

said pad being positionable so that the longitudinal axis of said pad extends parallel to the vertebral column of the user with the central portion substantially spanning at least the protruding portion of the vertebral column and the rigidified zones being positioned on opposite sides of the vertebral column and disposed for contact with the users back muscles.

14. A support device according to claim 13, wherein said body means includesa pair of overlapping sheetlike portions of flexible material, the opposed edges of said sheetlike portions being fixedly interconnected.

15. A support device according to claim 13, wherein the width of said central portion is between about 1 /2 and 2 inches.

16. A support device according to claim 13, wherein, said body means includes a quantity of cushioning material covering said slat means on the side thereof intended to face the users back in normal condition of use, said cushioning material not being so thick as to nullify the rigidifying effect of the device.

17. A support device according to claim 13, wherein the thickness of the central portion of said body means is substantially less than the thickness of said body means in the region of said rigid slat means. 

1. A portable vertebral support device for use as a medical appliance in supporting the vertebral column of a user and designed for use between the user''s back and an external supporting surface such as a seat back, said support device consisting of a substantially flat and elongated pad having a width approximately no greater than the width of the user''s back so that the support device directly engages the back muscles of the user, and said support device being relatively rigid throughout the complete longitudinal length thereof but being provided with lateral flexibility to conform to the user''s back, and to permit folding, said pad comprising: elongated relatively rigid stiffening members positioned substantially parallel with respect to each other and spaced apart to define a central portion therebetween of width sufficient, but no greater than that necessary, to span the palpable portion of the vertebral column of the user, said central portion having a width which is a small fraction of the overall width of said pad; and retaining means affixed to said stiffening members for holding same in a predetermined position with respect to each other and extending at least substantially the full length and width of said stiffening members; said device being positionable so that the longitudinal axis thereof extends parallel to the vertebral column of the user with said central portion substantially spanning at least the palpable portion of the vertebral column of the user and said stiffening members being positioned on opposite sides of the vertebral column and disposed for contact with at least those of the user''s back muscles which are closely adjacent his vertebral column.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said central portion is between 3/4 and 2 1/2 inches wide.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said central portion is approximately 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said stiffening members comprise at least four such members, the central two thereof being spaced from each other a distance defining said central portion.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein a thin resilient padding covers the areas of the stiffening members on one face of the support device.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein said retaining means comprises a solid envelope of molded resilient material completely and permanently enveloping all of the stiffening members.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said retaining means is a quantity of elastomeric material molded around said stiffening members.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said retaining means is a sheet of flexible resilient material contacting at least one side of said stiffening members and fixedly attached thereto.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein said retaining means is affixed to one side of said stiffening members by adhesive means.
 10. The device of claim 5, wherein the portion of the retaining means comprising said central portion is of a material other than that lying as padding material adjacent the stiffening members.
 11. The device of claim 5, wherein the resilient padding has a thickness of approximately 1/8 inch.
 12. The device according to claim 1, wherein said pad has a length less than the length of the vertebral column of the user and is rigid throughout said length.
 13. A portable vertebral support device for use as a medical appliance in supporting the vertebral column of a user and designed for use between the user''s back and an external supporting surface, such as a seat back, said support device coNsisting of a substantially flat and rectangularly shaped pad having a width approximately no greater than the width of the user''s back so that the pad directly engages the back muscles of the user, and said pad being relatively rigid throughout the complete longitudinal length thereof but being provided with flexibility in at least one central portion across the width thereof, said pad comprising: rectangularly shaped, flexible body means; said body means having a pair of laterally spaced zones extending parallel to one another throughout the full length of said body means, said spaced zones being disposed adjacent the opposite longitudinally extending edges of said body means; said body means having said central portion disposed between said spaced zones and being of a width sufficient to span the protruding portion of the vertebral column of the user, the width of said central portion being between 3/4 and 2 1/2 inches; elongated rigid slat means disposed in each of said zones and generally fixedly with respect to said body means for rigidifying said body means in the longitudinal direction thereof while permitting the central portion of said body means to remain flexible and permitting some flexibility between the slat means of said zones, said rigid slat means extending the full length of each of said zones; said pad being positionable so that the longitudinal axis of said pad extends parallel to the vertebral column of the user with the central portion substantially spanning at least the protruding portion of the vertebral column and the rigidified zones being positioned on opposite sides of the vertebral column and disposed for contact with the user''s back muscles.
 14. A support device according to claim 13, wherein said body means includes a pair of overlapping sheetlike portions of flexible material, the opposed edges of said sheetlike portions being fixedly interconnected.
 15. A support device according to claim 13, wherein the width of said central portion is between about 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 inches.
 16. A support device according to claim 13, wherein, said body means includes a quantity of cushioning material covering said slat means on the side thereof intended to face the user''s back in normal condition of use, said cushioning material not being so thick as to nullify the rigidifying effect of the device.
 17. A support device according to claim 13, wherein the thickness of the central portion of said body means is substantially less than the thickness of said body means in the region of said rigid slat means. 